Association between demographic features and perceived social support in the mental adjustment to breast cancer.

Abstract

The mental adjustment to a breast cancer diagnosis is traumatic and stressful, with wide-ranging differences in the responses observed in Indian women. We investigated the association between demographic features and perceived social support during the adjustment of patients to breast cancer. A total of 393 patients with breast cancer were included in the study. The patients were evaluated for mental adjustment to cancer and perceived social support on the Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale and Multidimensional Scale of perceived social support. Regression analysis and bivariate correlation were performed to discern significant demographic features and social support in association with the adjustment to having breast cancer. Multiple regression analysis revealed that mental adjustment factors accounted for 43% of the variance in fighting spirit and 41% of the variance in helplessness/hopelessness. The results of the multiple regression analysis suggested that age (t=-10.27, P<0.000) and marital status (t=3.03, P<0.000) were predictive of patients' fighting spirit. Age was inversely (t=9.81, P<0.01) associated with fighting spirit, whereas family income (t=-3.82, P<0.000) was inversely predictive of helplessness/hopelessness. Social support from significant others was predictive of a patient's fighting spirit and fatalism mental adjustment, while support from friends was predictive of helplessness/hopelessness. Demographic factors such as young age and high education are associated with good mental adjustment to breast cancer. Perceived support from significant others may fulfill the need for the socioemotional aspects of patient support that lead to the adjustment to a breast cancer diagnosis in patients.